Page 33 - Hu Collection of Imperial Monochromes Nov 29 2017 HK

2854 Continued

The form of the present vase is based on the bronze ritual wine vessels 花觚通體光素無紋，僅鼓腹部上下各凸起兩條弦紋為飾，係仿
known as gu from the Shang and Zhou periods, such as the example 清宮舊藏「商素觚」而製，如《西清古鑑》內收錄的例子（圖
illustrated in the woodblock printed catalogue Xiqing Gujian, ‘Inspection 一）。乾隆帝極喜此類器形，曾於乾隆二年「五月十一日，首
of Antiques’, which was published under the auspices of the Qianlong 領吳書來說太監毛團、胡世傑傳旨：著將瓶樣畫些呈覽，準時
Emperor (fig. 1). The form enjoyed further popularity as the inspiration 交於唐英，將填白瓶燒造些來。欽此。於本月十三日，畫得……
for Song-dynasty imperial wares, including ceramics covered with 花觚瓶紙樣一張，……首領吳書持進，交太監毛團、胡世傑、
guan and ge glazes. The lustrous, uncrackled greyish-blue glaze on the 高玉呈覽。奉旨：准照樣發去燒造。欽此。」除按宮中畫樣燒
current vase harks back to the revered Ru wares from the Northern 造填白花觚之外，《清檔》亦記載，乾隆三年「五月初六日，
Song dynasty. The present vase reflects this rich history, in its conscious 司庫劉山久、催總白世秀來說太監高玉交汝釉花觚一件、……
imitation of earlier forms and glazes. 傳旨：……照樣燒造，顏色不俱。欽此。」花觚造型線條變化
俊麗，通體滿施仿汝釉，以純淨的釉色襯托雋永的花觚線條，
It appears that the Qianlong Emperor enjoyed vases made in this classical 並以將上古的器形融合宋時的釉色，以清季的工藝展現盛世的
gu shape. According to the Comprehensive Records of Zaobanchu 時代精神。
Workshops, in the second year of the Qianlong reign, the Emperor
ordered the Superintendent of the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen, Tang 類似器形的花觚亦見於康熙朝，如北京故宮博物院藏一件天藍
Ying, to fire tianbai vases based on the shape of the classical gu 釉和一件白釉觚，同樣鼓腹上下各飾弦紋，但再加上鼓釘，見
vessels, with drawings prepared by draftsmen in the Imperial Household 香港 1999 年故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集《顏色釉》，圖版 90、
Workshops. Later in the third year of the Qianlong reign, a Ru g­ u- 112 號。
shaped vase was sent over to Jingdezhen for the potters there to
replicate. It is very likely that the current vase is one of these examples
specifically commissioned by the Qianlong Emperor.

V­­­ ases of similar shape and design were also fired in the Kangxi reign.
Compare, for example, to a sky-blue glazed and a white-glazed
gu-shaped vases, both with Kangxi reign marks and similarly decorated
above and below the bulging mid-section with raised bands, but
with additional friezes of bosses, in the Palace Museum, illustrated in
Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the
Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1999, pls. 90 and 112.

fig. 1
圖一

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